Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-24
TEXAS IS AROUSED.


Kansas City Journal In the palmiest
DAYS of Missouri's train rObbing gang
the Texas record was never equsIed.
Missouri never had five train rob9eTies
in six months, and that is the record OF
the Lone Star state since January !. Few
people understand how it is tbGt half 6
dozen armed men can so completely COW
100 or 200 passengers that they will
tamely submit to give up their money
and other valuabIes and be thankful to
come out of the mess with whole skins. II
often happens that many of the passengers
are armed and seemingly capable of g
successful resistance, but in none
of :he FIVE train robneCies which have &C.
Cured in Texas daring the past six
months aid the passengers make any at
tempt at defense. In one case a squad of
soldiers were aboard the train guarding
two prisoners on their way to the mill
tary prison st Fort Lea 9nworth. Did
they object when requested by four
knights Of the road to give up their
money? Not much; they surrendered
that and their loaded guns as well, and
in this case the passengers in the car
had been warned Of the approach of
the robbers while the latter qere going
through the car ahead. The easy surren-
der of the soldier was eXpla ned on the
ground that the O, rer passe rs in their
car implored them not to J. sist, lest in
the interchange ot shots ? he persons
should be injured who took part in the
conflict. Usuallg, of couls e, the train
robber has the drop, and as r. steps into
the car with his eye glsnci'5 along the
shining barrel of his weapon, it is the
\ - 10 IN
keep perfectly still nor make any motion
toward the hip pocket.
The reputation Of being 9 trsin-robber
state is unpleasant. Missouri has had it
ana it cost her considerable trouble and
expense to get rid of it. Texas has been
! growing respectable of late, sud it is IN
| fortunate that such series If train rob-
berries should occur to cast 'ioubt upon
the completeness of her refoI .dation. But
Texas is alive to the di-gT 90 and pro-
poses TO redeem herself. + It Worth has
sent a petition to the Cove nor and other
Texas cities will follow suit. Fort
Worth's business men say Ill ~ "belieViug
the time has come when it IS absolutely
necessary that train robbery should be
suppressed, they will heartily support
Governor Ross In any ner=atic and eX-
. uiOdSutGS 4lG u SEC LIZ u
take for The suppression CT train rebber-
les and the punishment Of the guilty.
The only way to stop the rob
berries is to 'ch lie robbers. L
is hardly feosi'e TO garrison every
train with soldieS or depnry sherifs
snd, Judging from past exp renee, sol
diers aren't much good against train rob
bers anyway. Let the determined Texan:
organize for the pursuit Of The robbers
and when they CO n them To will know
what to do with them. The Governor o.
one of the Mexican states au horized TIT
immediate shooting, without Inc formally
OF trial, OF persons who had engaged II
train rObbipg or train wrecbing, no ms'-
ter by whom they might De c.; otured. TIT
p!an appealed "a the fancy Ct the Mexi
cans, aad they hunted train vreckers anC
robbers with viii in order . put it int
execution. Governor Ross Of Texas
could hardly authorize such q summsr,
disposition Of train robbers, but if TIT
Texas vigilance commit es should sd7p
the plan it is not probable that any thipI
would be said against it.